


With The Moon And Us

by ShunRenDan, thalassatides



Series: Rattleverse [1]
Category: Persona 3, Persona Series
Genre: Dark Hour (Persona 3), Gen, One-Sided Attraction, Persona 3 Portable, Persona 3 References, Persona 3 Spoilers, persona - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-30
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:59:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27796552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShunRenDan/pseuds/ShunRenDan, https://archiveofourown.org/users/thalassatides/pseuds/thalassatides
Summary: Fate is fickle. Devotion is not.Minato Arisato receives a second chance.
Relationships: Arisato Minato & Iori Junpei, Arisato Minato & Kirijo Mitsuru, Arisato Minato & Sanada Akihiko, Arisato Minato/Yamagishi Fuuka, Female 3 Protagonist & Junpei Iori, Female Persona 3 Protagonist & Kirijo Mitsuru, Female Persona 3 Protagonist & Male Persona 3 Protagonist, Female Persona 3 Protagonist & Takeba Yukari, Iori Junpei & Yuuki Makoto, Male Persona 3 Protagonist & Iori Junpei, Male Persona 3 Protagonist/Yamagishi Fuuka, Persona 3 Protagonist & Iori Junpei, Persona 3 Protagonist & Kirijo Mitsuru, Persona 3 Protagonist & Sanada Akihiko, Yuuki Makoto & Sanada Akihiko, Yuuki Makoto/Yamagishi Fuuka
Series: Rattleverse [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2054478
Comments: 14
Kudos: 54
Collections: Rattleverse





	1. Brand New Days

**Author's Note:**

> This is my take on how Persona 3 would be like if FeMC was actually part of the main storyline. I love them both so much.

Minato Arisato doesn’t remember the last time he’s been to The Velvet Room. He basked in the familiar sight, a stark contrast to what he’d been witnessing as The Great Seal — the Sea of Souls, littered with darkened hearts. Those that were lost forever remained stagnant, unable to gain knowledge to guide themselves on the right path.

The Velvet Room remained unchanged; outfitted in thick, plush, dust-covered velvet, it was the spitting image of the last time he saw it. The sole exception appeared over the doors that pockmarked its borders, whose heads were hung by long, white sheets he'd long ago plucked away. Igor sat in the middle of the room, just like before. Beside him stood a young man with silver hair and gold-rimmed eyes, just like his own attendant.

“It is different because this is not your Velvet Room,” Igor explained. “You have reached nirvana. Thus, you are no longer a visitor to the room, but you are, notably, a valued guest.” 

“But here I am,” Minato pointed out. “Why?” 

“The particulars of the moment often prove elusive. Devotion is often its own answer, is it not?” 

Minato was unsure of how to respond to an equally elusive statement. Instead, his eyes shifted over to the silver-haired, his eyebrows raised. When had Igor replaced Elizabeth?

“Each of our guests will have a different attendant. Theodore is the attendant of our upcoming guest,” Igor added on. 

“Pleasure to meet you,” was all the attendant offered, the corner of his lips curled upwards. 

“You didn’t answer my question,” Minato pointed out.

“The answers you seek are beyond the confines of this room,” was all Igor offered.

Minato knew that this was as good an answer he was getting.

“Are they safe?” Minato asked. “Everyone.” 

“Your efforts have been recognised,” Igor explained. “Though their continued safety exists within the hands of another. I have much faith in our newest guest, and implore you to mirror that faith.” 

Minato tried to ask another question, but his mouth burned dry. His vision blurred, and the world beneath his feet shook as if it were having a death rattle.

“Use the faith your comrades offered you. Extend their efforts back to them in turn.” 

* * *

Minato jolted awake and tried to escape his sheets, but they weighed down on him like an anchor piercing through his heart. Fingers gently brushed his sweaty bangs from his forehead, dancing along his jawline, before thumbing over the wet trails on his cheeks. 

“How’s he doing?” 

Minato froze.

“His fever finally broke,” the voice answered, accompanied with a relieved sigh. “I was worried we’d have to take him to the hospital.”

He forced himself to sit up straight, to rub the sleep from his eyes and focus on the unbelievable scene before him: his parents were alive and well, unmarred by the flames that surrounded them.

Minato reached out, his fingers searching through the air like birds on the breeze for purchase where knew it shouldn’t be found — and when they made contact with his mother’s cheek, he threw himself into her.

A sharp pain seared through his head as an onslaught of memories – memories that weren’t his own – surfaced. Minato didn’t remember these moments but at the same time, he knew he _lived_ them. A metallic taste lingered in his mouth and he felt the wet on his cheeks. 

His father tried to tug him away, but he clung to his mother as though he were a newborn baby. Instead, his father joined them, hugging his wife and son to his broad chest, his arms like a castle.

“Nah, he’s alright,” his father remarked, fingers gently running through his kid’s hair. 

“I’m feeling better,” he rasped out. “Just a bad dream.” 

After what felt like a long time, Minato eventually pulled away. His cheeks were tinged with red, embarrassed, but unashamed. It’d be too long since he last saw his parents, even though they were no longer young. He remembered that his mother used to have a classy bob cut, now replaced with a messy bun instead. His father's hair, once dishevelled, was now clean-cut and the border for a pair of turtle-shell spectacles.

“Are you up for school?” his father asked, concerned. 

Minato, uncertain of what else to say, simply nodded. 

His parents left the room, allowing him some privacy. He glanced around the room, recognising it as his old bedroom, despite his new refurbishings: a wooden L-shaped desk was pressed against the wall, with books stuffed into the shelves below. His computer sat on his desk, looking as though it’d never seen a day of wear and tear. Above it was a picture of his entire family, taken a few years ago. 

Next to his computer were two pictures — one of him and his family, the other of him with a girl he’d never met. Her eyes were wide-eyed with wonder as she clung to him. From what it looked like, they were incredibly young when this photograph was taken.

“But I don’t remember all of this,” he muttered. Unlike before, he no longer had a television in front of his bed. Instead, it was replaced by his closet, made out of dark wood to match the rest of his room.

The feeling of being in his own body again was foreign. Phantom sensations still lingered around his wrists, reminding him of the chains once wrapped around them. 

His parents were getting ready for the start of a new day. His father was dressed in a crisp white shirt and tie. His mother was dressed in a business suit, leaving him to wonder what exactly were his parents working as in this lifetime.

“Ready, kid?” 

“Yeah,” he answered. 

Minato nodded. The last time he’d been out in the rain, he was banned from accompanying the group until he got better. Mitsuru took over his position, while Fuuka would always sneak into his room to watch over him until she no longer could.

 _I wonder how she’s doing,_ he thought, just as his father pulled up to the front gates. His father patted him on the shoulder.

“Hey, take it easy. You were out for the count for an entire week,” his father chided playfully, but there was obvious worry in his eyes. 

Minato wondered how many people he kept waiting.

* * *

Gekkoukan High was an echo: the buildings shimmered pristine white, and light bounced in waves from bright, glass panels. Trees led the way to the school's entrance, where Yukari and Junpei were embroiled in a playful argument. Minato stepped forward to join them...

Only to be halted by an auburn-haired girl tumbling into his friend. 

Junpei yelped in surprise. Yukari burst into laughter as the stranger began apologising, helping Junpei to his feet.

Minato observed them quietly. He knew Junpei, but he also knew Yukari. The only person he wasn’t quite familiar with was their newfound friend. When had she joined them and why did he not know?

When she turned around, Minato got a better look at who she was, but no memory of her came to mind. In fact, he was certain that she never existed before. 

Their eyes connected. Hers widened in surprise.

She knew his name.

Somehow, he knew hers.

“Kotone, right?”

She huffed. “It’s not surprising you forgot about me after sleeping for an _entire_ week. Did your coma give you brain damage?”

Minato resisted the urge to tell her he didn’t know anything. “Maybe.”

“Hey, don’t give her a hard time,” Junpei stated, slapping him on the back. “She was real worried about you, y’know.” 

“You gave us quite the scare when you collapsed,” Yukari chimed in. “The doctor said that they couldn’t find anything wrong so they figured it was just exhaustion.” 

“Told you that you shouldn’t have joined so many clubs, Minato. Stop trying to keep up with me,” Kotone chirped.

“I hope not. The world would end if there were two of you,” was Minato’s snarky remark, earning a hard _smack_ from Kotone. Junpei howled with laughter, while Yukari snickered.

Minato recognized her from the photographs he'd been staring at earlier. She was the little girl, her hair a bit longer now, but the spunk in her eyes identical. She was Kotone, and she was, apparently, his best friend.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked… no, demanded. The back of her hand pressed against his forehead, but all he registered was how close she was to him— 

Just like how Fuuka was.

“F— yes, I’m alright, I…” 

How was he supposed to answer her? 

He settled for a half-truth. “Sorry, I’m still feeling out of it.” 

“Dude, you need to chill out. Don’t get yourself all worked,” Junpei remarked. Minato welcomed his easygoing attitude, remembering that Junpei managed. “C’mon, let’s head somewhere else after school.” 

“Maybe when he’s feeling a little better, Junpei,” Yukari suggested, turning to Minato. “Like Junpei said, don’t worry about it. We can hang out on other days. Right, Kotone?” 

Their shared look didn’t go unnoticed.

“Right,” Kotone agreed, just as the bell rang. “Ahhhh, c’mon! We’ll be late!” 

* * *

Before Minato knew it, the day was already over. The sun was setting beneath the clouds, leaving trails of pink dust in its wake. Minato marvelled at the sight, committing it to memory. He lifted a hand, watching sunlight spill through the spaces between his fingers, just like his life fleeting right before his very eyes.

It was hard to believe that he was restarting the year with the chance of normalcy. Igor warned him that things wouldn’t be the same, but it still hurt to know that nobody else seemed to remember the times they spent together. From what he garnered, he wasn’t even supposed to know about what S.E.E.S actually was.

Minato spent most of his day in a daze, and only managed to get away with it thanks to the others helping him out. His body felt sluggish and he couldn’t determine whether he was out of touch with it or whether it was because he was still recovering.

“Hey.” 

He turned around to see Kotone leaning against the door frame, looking at him curiously.

“How’d you find me?” 

“Dude, I’ve known you since like, forever,” Kotone pointed out. “You come here whenever there’s something on your mind.” 

Minato blinked owlishly. It was interesting at how she knew something that only Fuuka knew, and he wondered how alike was the Minato of this reality and himself. She didn’t seem to mind sticking close to him… _really_ close to him.

“So, still planning on telling Yukari about how you feel?” 

“No,” he replied, confused. “Why would I?” 

Kotone stopped. Minato turned to find her suspicious.

“I thought you were into her?” Kotone thought aloud.

“Not my type.”

“You were going to ask her out,” Kotone said. “Literally last week. What happened? Did you have an argument?”

 _Oh,_ Minato thought. In this reality, he liked Yukari.

“I don't know,” he answered. “I had a dream. We're just not meant to be.”

Kotone tapped her foot like a soccer mom in training.

“Some dream. What was it about?”

“We're just not a good fit,” he said.

Kotone looked like she was about to pursue the topic, but decided to drop it altogether. Her legs swung back and forth, joining her friend in the silence. Minato noted how she didn’t seem to feel awkward, neither did she mind it at all.

“So, if you’ve gotten over Yukari, who’s caught your eye?” 

“Secret.” 

“Hey!” 

He fell into conversation with her easily. Kotone did most of the talking, allowing him to catch a glimpse of who he was supposed to be: Minato Arisato, a childhood friend of hers who moved away after her parents were involved in a car accident. She lived with her cousins in the city and decided that she wanted to revisit her hometown, prompting her to move back to Tatsumi Port Island after her first year in her previous high school. 

Every once in a while, he’d find himself laughing with her at the silly stories from Tokyo, back from when she lived with her grandmother. Even though she never mentioned it, he knew she was raised to be independent, to fend for herself.

“So, who made you change your mind?” Kotone asked.

Minato grimaced. He cursed himself for feeling at ease, and wondered how she managed to trap him under her spell. It was difficult to give her a clear answer, but if he was going to be around her, avoiding it entirely was not an option. 

So, he opted for half-truths.

“You’ll know,” he managed.

Kotone hummed.

“That nap of yours has you acting so different,” she teased, legs swinging back and forth. “Like a different person. Since when do you keep secrets, Minato?”

“You’ll know,” he reiterated. 

_I need to be careful,_ Minato thought. It was too great a risk to let them know who he liked, especially after he realised exactly what the date was — they had yet to meet Fuuka.

Kotone frowned, but she perked up within moments.

“I’ll hold you to that.” 


	2. Remind and Reconnect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minato reconnects with everyone else as he struggles to make sense of his new reality.

Mitsuru Kirijo called him into the student council room the next day. Her crimson hair hung like a curtain over her left eye. He wished it would have hidden the other eye, too, so that he didn't have to see it scrutinising him.

“I’m glad to see that you’re healthy. You gave Kotone quite the scare—”

“So I’ve heard,” Minato cut in. "It wasn't my intention.”

Mitsuru bit her tongue, but Minato saw the frustration playing across the empress’ eyes. “It would be in your best interest to withdraw from club activity. Your health is a risk, not simply for you, but to the school's reputation.” 

“So which one matters more?” Minato prodded. 

Surprise briefly flickered across her face before it reverted to her stern expression.

“What are you insinuating, Arisato?” 

He dove in for the kill.

“Are you doing this because you truly want to?” he asked. “Or because you have to?”

“It’s my duty as the student council president to ensure all students are well. That includes you, Arisato.” 

“But I’m feeling alright, M— Kirijo. No reason to worry about me,” Minato insisted. This wasn’t part of the script but his time as the field leader forced him to make decisions on the fly, to be adaptable; this was no different. “Isn’t it tiring to be tending to obligations all the time?” 

Mitsuru noticed his slip up long before he did, but she said nothing about it. Her silence meant she was more preoccupied with the question than the meaning behind his mistake. 

He waited.

“I’d prefer to see obligations as necessary preparations of what is to come, for what the future holds. Though it may be small, it’s the details that mean the most. I may be tired, but I refuse to rest until I know everything is settled and accounted for.” 

Minato agreed. He knew her: motherly, stern, always looking out for the team. It reflected in the way Penthesilea had support capabilities, even after her Persona transformed into Artemisia. Mitsuru never seemed to waver when a decision was made, even in the present day. She was the kind of person person who always chose the greater good, no matter how tough it was — it was in her blood.

“If what I do assists in helping someone, I don’t have any complaints. I wouldn’t even care if they hated me,” Mitsuru finished, arms folded across her chest. “We exist for a reason, Arisato, for stability’s sake.” 

He suspected she wasn’t just talking about student council duties.

When he said nothing, she continued, “I’ve called you here because Kotone has brought to light about your health complications.”

Minato sat up a little straighter, concerned. As the clockwork in his head turned, a memory resurfaced. He remembered spending an entire day in bed, under his mother’s watchful gaze. Cool hands touched his forehead, accompanied by a faceful of scarlet.

Kotone.

“Oh.” 

She added, “I’ve spoken to your teachers so that they can facilitate your departure from these clubs. Please reconsider your priorities for the betterment of your health.” 

Minato glanced down at his chaotic schedule.

“Are we clear, Arisato?” 

“Crystal. I’ll get back to you soon.” 

* * *

Akihiko Sanada, Minato remembered, was far from relaxed. He was driven and intense, determined to protect everything he cared about. He was the one guy Minato could rely on whenever things go south, even more so than Junpei. Where Mitsuru hesitated, Akihiko advanced, making them an ideal duo to balance out the team.

He was in the midst of training when he halted to acknowledge Minato.

“Looks like someone’s up and running.”

Minato smirked, tension melting away from his shoulders. 

“Well, I’m walking,” Minato answered as he strode over to Akihiko. “That’s a start.” 

He spent some time conversing with Akihiko before Yukari and Junpei emerged from behind the door, bickering as usual. Minato found himself dwelling on how much he missed the normalcy of a high school life until Junpei asked him about where Kotone was.

“I have no idea where she is right now,” he answered.

Akihiko answered, “She said she was gonna hang out with some friends today.” 

“Geez, I knew she was popular but I didn’t think she was _that_ popular!”

“You don’t need to be popular to have friends outside school, Junpei,” Yukari quipped.

It was funny how they shared the same burden and yet, they were so different. Kotone was his polar opposite: she was talkative, chatty and charismatic. She demanded attention without even trying, while he had to work on it through his various bonds with others. He wouldn’t be surprised that she was forging the bonds to assist in her journey; Igor reiterated its importance one too many times for her to simply ignore him.

As Junpei continued, his eyes glanced to Yukari. He wondered what sort of feelings this reality’s Minato harboured for her — would it be as a strong as how he felt towards Fuuka? 

Before he could turn away, she caught his gaze. 

“You look better,” she pointed out. 

“Thanks. It’s nice to feel less like a ghost,” Minato replied wryly, shifting the attention away from himself. “What’s this about a ghost story?” 

Junpei cheered.

Yukari shuddered. Minato wasn’t surprised; she wasn’t a fan of horror stories, but he knew for a fact that whatever story Junpei was about to share was about Fuuka. If he wasn’t wrong, Yukari would eventually suggest for them to go to the back of Iwatodai Station, where the dark alley was located.

Where Shinjiro would be.

While he considered how to navigate on without breaking everything, Junpei launched himself into a ghost story.

“Actually, rumours are flying about the school right now…”

Minato snapped out of his thoughts.

“If you get caught in school late at night…” 

Something sounded familiar.

“…you get devoured by a maniacal ghost that roams the halls…” 

And it all snapped into place. He thought of the date -- the calendar on his wall that morning, the change of weather, the ghost stories... Junpei was talking about Fuuka Yamagishi, the girl that had been missing for almost a week.

Something clicked in Minato.

He excused himself.

* * *

May thirtieth.

How could he have forgotten? 

Minato strode briskly towards the gym. The doors were already unlocked, presumably by Moriyama and her friends when they tried to look for Fuuka. While the young man couldn’t remember how he felt in his reality, he was certain about how he felt now: he didn’t want to leave her alone.

Not for another second.

He skulked through the hallways, searching for Natsuki Moriyama. Minato recalled the sound of sirens wailing, remembering that more bodies were found at the gate — her friends, he recalled. He remembered at how Fuuka begged for her friend not to go to the alley behind the station, for dangerous influences lingered there, but Moriyama was having none of it; she even pushed Fuuka to the ground, believing that the honour student was mocking her.

But Minato knew Fuuka: she was kind, rather pretty and cute to boot, and incredibly forgiving to the people who didn’t deserve it. Knowing that she was all alone in Tartarus made his blood boil, and he knew who exactly to blame, regardless of whether they knew about the Dark Hour or not.

He approached her. “Moriyama, can we talk?”

She flinched.

“Is it about Yamagishi? Because I don’t know where she is.” 

Minato quirked a brow.

“I never said anything about Yamagishi.”

He revelled in the way she was like a deer caught in headlights. When she didn’t say anything, Minato continued.

“Were you the one who started the rumours?” he prodded. “About her?”

“What do you want?” she snapped. “I don’t have time for this.”

“Then what do you have time for?” he asked, blood simmering beneath the surface. “Picking on Yamagishi?” 

Guilt flashed across her features. 

That was all it took for Minato to deliver the finishing blow.

“You know, all I see are two lonely souls… and only one willing to admit it.” 

Moriyama’s lips parted to say something but instead of mustering a reply, her eyes turned glossy and a shame-filled silence filled the space between them. She stormed away, but not before giving Minato what appeared to be a mix of a stinkeye and a look of gratitude. 

When her silhouette faded from sight, Minato entered the gym.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might have gotten the dates wrong... it's been a while since I played P3P, so forgive me if there are any big inconsistencies. 
> 
> Much thanks to a good friend of mine for helping me with rewording certain parts, forcing me to rephrase all it so that it's easier to read. Without this dude, I wouldn't have been so extensive with my writing.


	3. Tension Rising

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minato goes wandering through Tartarus with a very expected guest.

Tartarus greeted him like an old friend.

An uncomfortable tension hung in the air, like a sword of Damocles. A single wrong move made in Tartarus could result in him being found by his friends, but with Kotone being their leader, he couldn’t be certain. 

“Who are you? Are you human?”

“I am,” he answered.

Fuuka emerged from her hiding spot, unharmed, just like the first time they found her. Her innate ability to sense trouble proved to be helpful in situations like this, and she quickly gestured him to join her.

“How’d you get here?” 

“I fell asleep in the gym,” he lied. “You’re not hurt, are you?” 

“N-no, I’m not,” Fuuka stammered, taken aback from his concern. 

The corner of his vision seemed to darken, hailing the arrival of Shadows. 

“Quickly, they’re coming!” Fuuka whispered harsly and ushered Minato into the safe room. They ducked behind the wall, just in time for a Shadow to move past them. He could’ve sworn that he detected the faint rattling of chains, but he hoped that he was just imagining it.

“How long have you been here?” he asked, even though he knew the answer.

“… I think an hour,” Fuuka replied. She paused to carefully choose her words, then added on, “I accidentally locked myself in the gym.” 

Minato longed to tell her that everything was going to be alright, but he knew he couldn’t that — whatveer personal information he had about her could not be shared so casually. He knew Fuuka Yamagishi: she was meek, shy, but kind and gentle. A body was far too frail, too small to hold a big heart like hers. She wasn’t tough like Yukari or Mitsuru and neither was she outwardly driven like Akihiko and Junpei — she’d put others before herself, at the expense of her own happiness.

Even if the person had done wrong.

He made a mental note to talk to Kotone about this, provided the time was right. He wasn’t going to sit around and watch his friends go through this without additional help, especially when he knew he could provide it. However, another part of him was curious as to how Kotone would handle this. 

Something told him it might be completely different too.

“You can sense these things?” he asked.

Fuuka squirmed uncomfortably. “I can sort of tell where they are… I don’t know exactly _what_ they are, but they...”

She didn’t need to finish her sentence for Minato to know what she meant. 

Her stomach growled.

Minato cursed himself for not bringing food to eat. It’d be another eight to nine hours before the rest realised Fuuka’s missing presence, then it dawned on him: his disappearance would simply add to the rumours and, hopefully, hasten the process.

From what he garnered, the Minato of this reality and Kotone tended to be seen together, as though they were stuck together at the hip. There was no doubt that she’d notice the moment he didn’t appear… or if he didn’t return home — his parents might throw a fit.

“Are you able to sense an exit?” 

Fuuka pursed her lips together. “I can try… but I’m not sure whether…” 

He needed to direct them to be found by the others. If everything went well, he could get to Mitsuru and Yukari well before the Emperor and Empress ambushed them. 

* * *

Time passed by in a flash. Minato and Fuuka shifted every once in a while to stretch their stiff legs – and to avoid the Reaper, but the girl didn’t know that – and to lower the chances of being discovered. With no weapon on hand, Minato was keen on avoiding fights as much as they could.

Every hour, the walls shifted, hailing about a new day. Minato kept Fuuka close to him to prevent themselves from being separated. Each time it entered a new hour, the walls rumbled… or rather, they groaned.

Both of them found themselves huddled together in silence, uncertain of what else to talk about apart from each other. Though the universe seemed to conspire against him, it left him a blessing: his bond with Fuuka — their silence was comfortable.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?” 

“For dragging you into this.” 

“F— Yamagishi… how could you have known that I was going to be here?

Her eyes widened as the realisation hit her. Her face flushed with embarrassment, understandably so.

Minato reached out to ruffle her hair, letting his fingers run rampant. When he realised what he was doing, he paused, then pulled his hand back. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt embarrassed in front of her; it felt like a long time ago.

“Sorry, I… uh, you remind me of someone I know,” Minato explained, meekly. He wasn’t ready to explain of lifetime of joy, of tears to the girl in front of him, including that of heartache at the knowledge she couldn’t remember their stolen moments together. 

He didn’t miss the way she relaxed underneath his touch. Disappointment flashed in her eyes for a brief moment. When Minato blinked, it was gone.

“I hope she’s nice,” Fuuka finally spoke. “Sounds like you miss her very much.

Minato smiled wistfully.

“I do.” 

* * *

It took S.E.E.S five days lesser to enter Tartarus.

Minato nudged Fuuka forward towards them. Akihiko whispered something to Kotone. She nodded and strode towards Minato. Her eyes were wild and frantic, and they scrutinised Minato like a hawk. 

“Are you okay?” 

“I’m fine. Not hurt, if that’s what you mean,” Minato responded. He glanced at Fuuka. “She kept the both of us safe.” 

Akihiko looked at them with a raised eyebrow. The three of them shared a look before he finally said.

“Fill us in as we head out of here.” 

Minato agreed. “Let’s get outta here.” 

Akihiko helmed the team; Junpei kept Fuuka occupied with his regal stories; Minato and Kotone watched their backs in stifling silence. Minato tried to keep his eyes ahead, but in the time he’d known Kotone, he’d never seen her so visibly upset; she wasn’t even trying to hide it, like she usually did.

“Kotone, are you alright?” 

“I will be once we get out of here,” she said. 

They strode past the windows where the light shone in. Minato exhaled, relieved, at the sight of a waxing moon. He just granted S.E.ES more time to prepare for the battle that is to come. He heard Mitsuru’s voice filtering through loud and clear, asking whether they’d been found. 

_That’s something different,_ he noted. _The Empress and Emperor must’ve played a part in blocking her connection to them._

The familiar sound of rattling chains echoed.

Kotone and Minato froze.

Fuuka sucked in a breath. “Something’s coming—”

Minato threw himself at Kotone, just as The Reaper fired its shots. Akihiko shoved Fuuka out of its line of fire. Junpei leapt out of the way, startled. Mitsuru yelled over their connection, but none of them paid her any mind, not when a fearsome foe was about to lay them to waste.

Kotone scrambled to her feet and summoned her Persona.

“Eurydice!” 

Her Persona looked very much like Orpheus, with its mechanical limbs and heart-shaped lyre on her back. Its body was painted yellow and, around its neck, was the familiar red scarf. Eurydice’s hair was a stark contrast to the white of Orpheus: a flaming red, like the fire burning in Kotone’s eyes.

Junpei and Akihiko already summoned Hermes and Polydeuces. Fuuka kept herself at a distance, frozen. Minato went over to her.

“C’mon, we need to get out of here. It’s not safe,” he urged, but she wouldn’t budge. Her eyes were transfixed on the horrifying creature before them.

“Minato! Bring her somewhere else!” Kotone yelled.

“It’s not safe for you either!” Fuuka yelled. “That thing… it’s too strong.” 

Leaving didn’t seem to be an option at the moment. Fuuka wouldn’t be able to create an opportunity for them to escape since she hadn’t awakened to her Persona yet, leaving Minato to think of the solution.

He didn’t have an Evoker.

「 _Is the strength of your heart not enough?_ 」

Minato paused. The sing-song manner of this voice was familiar, but there was something different. Something tugged at his heartstrings, sending ripples of power surging through him.

“Orpheus?” he whispered. “You’re still here?” 

「 _Of course. I’ll always be here._ 」

“Fuuka, hide somewhere. This is going to be a messy fight,” he warned. Fuuka’s gaze lingered on him, worried, but she conceded and removed herself from the battlefield. Mitsuru’s voice had fallen silent — that worried him.

“I’ll try to contact President Kirijo,” she offered.

Minato nodded and called upon his Persona.

A symphony exploded in his head as Orpheus Telos soared to life. His fingers danced across the strings of his lyre, sending adrenaline rushing through his veins. 

Minato was confused. “What about Messiah?”

 _“You are not their saviour,”_ his Persona reminded him.

The reminder hurt Minato more than it should’ve — a sheer reminder of what he used to be, what he couldn’t do now… but he still had power, and that was enough; he didn’t need a noble reason to stop him from protecting his friends.

“I’m counting on you.”

Orpheus nodded, and charged towards The Reaper. He detached his lyre from his back to strike his foe, but his target was not fazed. Its eye focused on Minato, and fired another bullet in his direction.

“Create an opening,” he muttered, and willed Orpheus to unleash his fury.

A pained cry escaped The Reaper as a pillar of flame surrounded it. Junpei and Akihiko stumbled back, while Kotone switched to another Persona to fan the flames. The air around them became heated, and forced them to take a step back.

“Run!” Kotone hollered.

Everyone made a beeline towards the nearest exit. They convened with Mitsuru and Yukari, who wasted no time in guiding them towards safety. Minato stumbled along behind them, his eyes constantly glancing over his shoulder. 

Together, Kotone and Minato focused on slowing down The Reaper. Yukari and Junpei kept an eye on Fuuka while Mitsuru and Akihiko cleared the way until they reached their destination. 

The Reaper made one last lunge as the group made for the bottom of the steps. Minato unleashed hell, using up the rest of his firepower to blast back The Reaper one final time. It howled in dissatisfaction as it rose and watch its prey escape down the steps.

“Awww, that was close!” Junpei exclaimed, arms stretched above him.

Kotone groaned in agreement.

“Is everyone alright?” Mitsuru demanded. “Anyone hurt?” 

The cool wash of a healing spell briefly invigorated Minato, but it didn’t help him in the slightest. His vision blurred, his limbs as heavy as lead. Akihiko clapped him on the shoulder, and Minato collapsed.

The last thing he remembered were sturdy hands against his back and panic-stricken eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided that instead of Orpheus, Kotone's Persona would be Eurydice. I think it's a better fit for her, for future purposes.


	4. Almost Forgot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minato learns what he already knows, and where he stands. The others, on the other hand, are left with more questions than answers.

“You’re awake,” Yukari breathed. 

“Where’s Kotone? Fuuka?” Minato asked groggily. “Everyone?” 

“They’re alright, thanks to you.” 

He rubbed the sleep from his eyes to focus on his surroundings: Yukari was the first person he saw when he woke up, just like when he first awakened to his Persona. In this case, he looked like he “first” awakened it, unbeknownst to them. 

For now, he observed his surroundings. Another day at the hospital… it was no different from when he first summoned his Persona, except that this time, he felt the buzz of Orpheus Telos lingering at the back of his head. 

“What happened?” he asked, knowing what would come next. 

“You collapsed from exhaustion,” Yukari answered. She paused, then broached the subject. “How much do you remember?” 

“It’s because you summoned another side of you… what we call a Persona. It’s probably even worse because you managed to do it without an Evoker.” 

Minato grimaced. He hadn’t known it was possible until he did it. Whenever Yukari spilled her heart out, the wisest thing to do was to not interrupt her; he knew this from personal experience. Junpei was the only one who could have carried him there. Especially if the others were busy tending to Fuuka. 

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. 

“Looks like Kotone’s here,” Yukari quipped. 

The door opened to reveal a frazzled Kotone. Her hair was not in its usual ponytail, but her hair pins were still in place. 

Minato stood up to approach her. 

She crashed into him like a tidal wave, knocking both of them onto his bed. The door closed shut with a quiet click. Just as he was about to push her away, his shoulder turned damp. 

“You idiot— I thought you were…” she sobbed, unable to finish her sentence. 

Memories flashed in his mind, leading Minato to realise that this wasn’t the first time she cried, but it was the first time she showed it explicitly. Whenever his reality’s Minato saw her in tears, it was when she thought she was alone. 

His arms rose to return the hug, well aware she needed it more than he did. 

One hand rested on her back, rubbing circles into her skin; the other ran through her hair as Minato did his best to reassure her that everything was fine, that he was safe. 

“I’m okay.” 

“You nearly died.” 

“But I didn’t.” 

“You could’ve ended up like them,” she whispered harshly against the fabric of his shirt. “I don’t think…” 

Minato knew what she was referring to: Natsuki’s friends, who were diagnosed with Apathy Syndrome. If he hadn’t been careful, he knew he would’ve been afflicted with it, and that’s a fate worse than death. 

They laid there for what felt like an eternity before Kotone finally pulled away. Her entire face was just as red as her hair. Minato peered curiously at her oddly-arranged hairclips. 

“You did this for me, remember? Because my favourite number’s twenty two.” 

He couldn’t remember but something stirred within him at the mention. An onslaught of memories made him wince, alarming Kotone.

“Where—” 

“It’s nothing—” 

“Don’t lie to me,” she pleaded. 

Minato pursed his lips together. 

“It’s just a headache,” he admitted softly, having realised that denying her of the truth would simply hurt her. “Not a big deal.” 

His response aggravated her. The fabric of his shirt crumpled within her grip, but no words were exchanged. Minato rubbed his palms up and down her back. It found its way to the nape of her neck, and he found himself wondering why on earth he was so intimate with an almost stranger. 

Nevertheless, Minato discovered that it calmed the girl down. He continued doing that until her sniffling halted, until he could look at her properly without guilt hanging over him like a dark cloud. 

When she pulled away, he finally asked, “Feeling better?” 

“Yeah. The past week has been… stressful,” Kotone explained, and filled him in on everything that happened since his disappearance: there were rumours flying about, but it was only through him that they discovered Fuuka was missing. 

One after another, the pieces fell into place. Minato frowned when he realised he couldn’t prevent them from going to the alleyway, but he intended on beating them to it. 

A glance at the clock told Minato that Kotone was late for school, but she waved him off. 

“I owe you an explanation, but not right now.” 

Minato waved her off. “It’s fine. I’ll get my answers in due time. Shouldn’t you head to school?” 

Kotone huffed, then pressed her face against his collarbone. 

“I’ll make sure I get a damn excuse,” she muttered underneath her breath. “School can’t be more important than this.” 

Minato couldn’t help but laugh.

* * *

Mitsuru and Akihiko were his next visitors. 

A sombre look decorated their faces when they arrived at the hospital. It wasn’t the first time he saw them distressed, but he figured that that this shouldn’t be anything new. He noticed that they kept their distance, which hurt him a lot more than he’d care to admit. 

_It’s no longer about me,_ he reminded himself. _I’m not the saviour of this world._

“We’d like to talk to you about what you experienced,” Mitsuru finally spoke. “A hidden hour that most people don’t know about.” 

She paused. 

“Every night, the world shi]s... for exactly one hour, it is infinitely more dangerous than before, and dominated by creatures known as Shadows.” 

“Shadows,” Minato mused, hoping he sounded as lost as he needed to. “The monsters we fought?” 

"Correct. These monsters... these mistakes, exist as a result of my family. They are my grandfather's greatest mistake, and I seek to right that mistake every day." 

Akhiko turned his head sharply, but was silenced by Mitsuru’s glare. Minato caught the brief flash of worry, but it faded as quickly as it came. 

“Are you certain?” he asked. 

“I’m bound to tell them at some point,” Mitsuru admitted reluctantly. “He’ll be the first to know, for now.” 

“Know about what?” Minato prodded. 

“Tartarus,” Akihiko answered. “That’s where you and Fuuka were. Kotone didn’t fill you in just now?” 

Minato shook his head. Never once did Kotone mention Tartarus, even though there were opportunities to do so this morning. He took note of how her eyes were filled with burning questions, but held them back, as though waiting for him to completely recover before she pushed further. 

“No, she… well, she was focused on making sure I was alright,” he answered. 

“…if it means anything, Kotone feels like she made a mistake,” Mitsuru sighed. “We should’ve realised that Yamagishi’s disappearance was suspicious in the first place. We’ve heard rumours, but when you disappeared, it prompted us to investigate further.” 

“I see. Was it because the other girls went missing?” Minato prodded. He quickly added on, “There’ve been rumours.” 

She nodded. 

Minato cut straight to the chase.

“If you’re asking me to join you, then I’m not interested.” 

“I ask that you consider it,” was Mitsuru’s sharp response. “We could use all the manpower we need right now and there’s no doubt you hold some incredible power too.” 

“Yamagishi as well. Seems like her power is still dormant but it’s definitely there,” Akihiko added on. “Yukari mentioned that Fuuka still remembers.” 

Minato maintained his silence, well aware of why. It was a matter of time before they saw it for themselves, but he was certain he derailed the timeline significantly. 

It reassured him to know that he hadn’t lost his touch, even in this reality. 

“That means she holds the potential,” Mitsuru pointed out.

The way she stated it reminded Minato of how Mitsuru always needed to do what was necessary, under false beliefs imposed to her by Ikutsuki, by everyone else whom she was obligated towards. 

Minato feigned ignorance. “The potential… you mean a Persona? The thing I summoned? And you guys too?” 

She nodded. “What baffles me is that you’re able to summon one without an Evoker… are you aware of how you managed to do it?” 

The blue-haired boy studied them, cautious. The gears in his mind turned, and he beat her to the question before she could say anything. 

“Are you going to send her back there?” Minato asked. “Because if you do, then you’re no different from sending a lamb to the slaughter.” 

Akihiko bristled. 

Mitsuru raised a hand. 

“Don’t get me wrong. Yamagishi hasn’t even proven that she’s got a Persona yet. That means we shouldn’t leave her alone. People who are awake during the Dark Hour are vulnerable, perhaps more than we know.” 

He paused to study their reaction, then continued. 

“Since your main reason for coming here was to have me consider about joining your club, then I’m not interested.” 

Mitsuru levelled her gaze. Turmoil swirled in her eyes. Akihiko turned away, most likely to figure out what to do. A]er all, he’d been the first to figure out that Fuuka held the potential, but the pale-haired man was persistent too, just like he was with Shinjiro; Minato knew he wouldn’t be surprised if he tried to convince Fuuka to join them, since her power was essential to S.E.E.S.

 _Then there’s him too,_ Minato thought, just as Shuji Ikutsuki’s image floated into his head. _I’m not letting things go his way._

“That’s not what I want.” 

* * *

His father picked him up from the hospital, and Minato thanked the stars his mother was out of the city for work, certain that there’d be imminent doom waiting for him if she were around. 

Dark circles hung like tea bags beneath his father’s eyes, and he looked none the worse for wear. Guilt washed over Minato when his father wrapped an arm around him, with his face pressed into the fabric of his clothes. 

“Buddy, you okay?” 

Minato blinked slowly. 

“I’m fine,” he managed. No amount of words could assuage his father’s worries; the wrinkles on his temple were testament to the fact. 

The ride back was tense, and it resulted in Minato turning up the music to distract themselves from the elephant in the room. It was strange because he wasn’t one to turn away from the truth, but how was he supposed to explain his situation to his parents? 

It was during dinner that his father finally addressed the elephant in the room. 

“Where’ve you been?” 

“I don’t know,” he frowned for added effect. “I don’t remember.” 

Kaito Arisato studied his son for a long time before he sighed into his hands. Minato couldn’t blame him: from what he remembered of their time together, his father wasn’t the type to let himself get so down. He was a happy go-lucky man, a sharp contrast to his mother, who was more serious. 

It escalated into another level of awkward for Minato when his father reached out towards him. He flinched at the affection, but said nothing; the fact that his parents were alive was the strangest thing, and he knew not everyone could get second chances like he did. 

“You know I’m here for you, right?” he finally asked. 

Minato stared at him. 

“Is something wrong?” 

His father let out a shaky breath, then regained his composure. “Nothing’s wrong. Can’t I check up on you every once in a while?” 

Sirens sounded in Minato’s head. Something was wrong, but the young man didn’t even know where to begin. Before he could say anything, his father excused himself to prepare dinner. 


	5. Right Here, Right Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minato is left with nothing but frustration, hazy memories and wishes unseen. Ikutsuki isn't helping at all.

Minato was in the midst of catching up with his school work when Fuuka Yamagishi walked in, with a bag full of bread. He froze, almost terrifed to wonder whether it’d be burnt, until he saw the familiar logo of the bakery he passed by each time he travelled to school.

“Are you okay?” she asked, concern painted across her features. “I wanted to visit but then I…” 

She trailed off. Minato wondered what could’ve happened, but the frustration on her face told him what he needed to know: she only carried that sort of expression whenever she was dealing with her parents.

“That’s alright. Had quite a bit of visitors yesterday,” Minato reassured her. “Good to see you. Did you make up with Moriyama?” 

Her eyes widened, then clouded over.

“I made her more upset. Her friends ended up in a coma. We were gone for days but nothing happened to us so she thinks that we did something to them,” she explained. “I tried to tell her that neither of us had anything to do with it, but even I find it hard to believe, not after what happened last night.”

 _Another deviation,_ Minato noted, making a mental note to keep an eye out for Fuuka. While he didn’t know Moriyama the way Fuuka did, he’d dealt with girls like her before: they only understood the taste of their own medicine.

“…Has the president talked to you yet?” 

Fuuka shook her head. “Not yet. Was she supposed to?” 

He filled her in on what transpired yesterday. At the end of everything, Fuuka’s lips were formed into a tight line. She was worried, and rightfully so — being at the butt end of rumours was never a good thing, but who was going to believe her story about getting lost in a green tower? 

Fuuka broke the silence after moments.

“Do you think that… thing is responsible for what happened to Moriyama’s friends?” 

“I’m not sure. Maybe,” he lied. “Whatever the case is, I’m not going to join them. That’s… it’s not some place I want to go back to.” 

Fuuka looked torn, and he couldn’t blame her. After all, she was still oblivious to the power she held, even though she knew about her own ability to sense the Shadows, but there was something different about summong a Persona. Not many people got the opportunity to see their inner self manifest in front of their very eyes.

“I wish I could do what you do,” she admitted softly. 

Unfortunately, the Fuuka Yamagishi of this reality was one of those people.

“Ms. Kirijo will talk to you about it soon,” Minato spoke. “If you’d like me to accompany you, I can.” 

Minato wished the glee in her eyes didn’t melt his heart.

* * *

The next day, they gathered in the meeting room of Iwatodai Dorm. Kotone and Fuuka filled the empty spaces beside him, filled with nervous energy. Minato understood that his minty-haired friend had every reason to be fidgety, but he couldn’t quite fathom why Kotone felt the same.

Junpei, Akihiko and Yukari sat on the stools across them. The latter held a pensive expression on her face, while the former was unfettered by the tension hanging in the air. Minato resisted the urge to chuckle as his eyes wandered over to Akihiko, whose was confused about his presence after his outright rejection.

“I’m here fo— with her,” he managed.

Mitsuru walked in, with Shuji Ikutsuki behind her.

He clenched the edge of his seat, his teeth gritted together at the sight of the bespectacled man. Minato knew all too well why he established S.E.E.S. Bile rose in his throat as the man greeted him and Fuuka with honeyed words. 

Mitsuru was surprised to see him here, but still greeted him warmly all the same. “It’s nice to see you here, Mr. Arisato and Ms. Yamagishi. I hope that after today, you’ll change your mind.” 

So much for no club activities, he thought wryly.

“I’ll get to the point,” Mitsuru announced, and turned to Fuuka. “We believe that there’s an incredible power hidden inside of you, untouched. For you to remain safe, hidden, during the dark hour… for days… that seems like a miracle, doesn’t it?” 

Mr. Ikutsuki chimed in, “It’s good to meet you two. I’ve heard about what happened from Mitsuru.” 

_Of course,_ was Minato’s harsh thought. 

“I’m afraid that the three girls aren’t waking up. Their parents are irate… and we need to give them answers,” Mr. Ikutsuki explained, frowning. “Since you two entered Tartarus, it would follow that those three girls wandered in on their own in a similar fashion.” 

“And got attacked,” Ikutsuki finished.

Fuuka shifted in her seat.

Minato interjected, “We hid. I don’t regret it.” 

Startled by the sudden cut, Ikutsuki backtracked. “I don’t mean…” 

He’d have punched him if Kotone’s hand didn’t come down on his shoulder, but it wasn’t enough to stop his finishing blow.

“What kind of school director and student council president uses students as _bait_?”

Mitsuru’s eyes narrowed. Akihiko kept a stony expression, his fists clenched; Yukari studied him, her expression a mix of caution and curiosity; Junpei simmered with anger and opened his mouth to retort, but Yukari silenced him with a sharp elbow to the rib, and a glare to match.

Kotone was unusually quiet, guilt rolling off her in waves.

Ikutsuki was speechless.

“We’re doing what we can to protect what is precious,” Mitsuru managed. “That includes both of you.” 

Akihiko added on, “We just want you to keep an open mind. This isn't exactly a formal offer."

“Nothing about this is formal,” Minato pointed out. “S.E.E.S — it’s just a cover, isn’t it? For all these activities.” 

Mitsuru nodded. "That's right. It's a facade for the public... but the Dark Hour isn't something we can easily explain. It defies the natural order."

There was only Ikutsuki to blame for that. Mitsuru, whether she knew it or not, was in the dark. He knew the truth would eventually come to light... but waiting for it felt so paltry, so unacceptable, that Minato couldn't help but object.

He glanced at Fuuka and Kotone. The mint-haired girl looked torn, and Kotone was no different , albeit more upset, stuck between being their leader and behind his friend.

“If you can’t already tell, not everyone has the power to fight off the Shadows,” was Junpei's dry response. Anger simmered beneath his words, but Minato ignored it. “I know I’ve got this power, so why wouldn’t I help? There’s only so much of us...”

Kotone stepped in before the situation escalated. “Hear us out first. We’re more than just this, I know it.” 

Minato grumbled, then sat back down. 

Regaining her composure, Mitsuru launched into her explanation.

“A Persona is a power that each of us have. That’s why we’re here today, and we believe that you have one too,” she turned to Fuuka. “You protected him, right?” 

“She did.” 

Kotone shushed him.

Fuuka looked embarrassed. “I sensed these Shadows. I could tell he wasn’t one of them.” 

“The same capabilities at Mitsuru. Perhaps even stronger,” Akihiko muttered. They exchanged a look, and Mitsuru nodded to agree with him. 

“So what are you saying?” Minato interjected.

Mitsuru’s gaze drifted to Fuuka once again.

“We’d like for you to stay at the dorms for a while, if that’s okay with you. If you hold the same power as us, we’d like to confirm it for ourselves… and for you to see what you hold.” 

Well aware of what the answer would be, Minato refused to stick around, so he took a deep breath, stood up, and walked away.

Away from the place he once called home.

* * *

The stone steps that led to Naganaki Shrine were as sturdy as he remembered. He climbed them, counting each one to melt the anger away. By the time he reached the top, that wrath was replaced by the hollow pang of guilt. They were desperate, but as much as Minato wanted to, the idea of working for Ikutsuki abhorred him; he couldn’t be in the same room as the man without his stomach churning, without the flames burning.

Blue eyes scanned his surroundings and landed on a young boy decked in orange and black, chasing after a dog as it darted between the bars of a rusting jungle gym. He called out every so often, shouted every time he almost caught it, and laughed like a mad scientist whenever he got stuck trying to dive after the little pup.

He resisted the urge to laugh when Koromaru ended up bumping into his legs after being unable to stop himself. The dog whined pitifully, but basked in the affection given to him. Ken studied them for a long time, before he began their conversation.

“He seems to like you a lot.” 

Minato quietly wondered whether Koromaru recognised him. Koromaru barked in agreement, almost as though he recognised he was thinking about.

“That’s hard to say. Koromaru likes everyone,” Minato answered. “You’re here to play with him?” 

The orange-clad boy nodded. “Yeah. He’s all alone now so I come here to make sure he’s well.” 

“Why don’t you just take him with you?” 

The boy suddenly looked downcast. “I would if I could.” 

Minato remained quiet for good measure before he questioned him. “What’s your name? I’m Minato.”

“...Ken.”

“Maybe we can look out for him together,” he suggested, gesturing to Koromaru.

Ken and Minato fell into conversation, with the latter leading most of it. They took turns to play with the Shiba Inu until the dog exhausted himself. Ken expressed that he’d known Koromaru since he was young since his family used to freqeunt the shrine; they were acquaintances of the priest too. Ken’s answers were short, but Minato knew how to navigate with someone like him, and he managed to get the boy talking even more.

Before he knew it, Ken had to return to the dorm. He gave Koromaru one last pat on the head before departing.

Just as the bundle of orange disappeared down the steps, a head full of turqoise appeared.

Fuuka Yamagishi stood at the top of the stairs, with haggard breath.

Minato asked, “Why are you here?” 

“I was looking for you,” she answered. “I hope you hadn’t gone too far.” 

“Hard to cover a huge distance when you’re on foot,” he replied wryly, but led her so a nearby bench while she caught her breath. 

Koromaru padded over and nuzzled his snout into the side of her leg. Fuuka smiled and reached out to rub him in between the ears, just like what Ken did moments ago. 

“Hello, Koromaru,” she greeted him.

“You got a lot of friends, huh?” Minato asked the dog. He received an excited bark, and then, the Shiba Inu eventually calmed down once more at their feet.

“I told them that I’d need a little more time before I decide,” Fuuka informed him.

“You don’t need me to be—”

“It didn’t feel right to go on without you.” 

Minato absorbed the information, allowed it to sink into his head: this was another deviation. Fuuka was supposed to join on the get-go, citing her parents as reasons why she didn’t want to be home, but something was different. He knew that he’d left behind an effect of the sorts, but was she blinded by her desire to be with him? 

_I wish she was,_ Minato thought, and quickly banished the thought.

“How’d they react?” he asked, after a long silence.

Fuuka took her time to fill him in on what she observed: a disappointed Mitsuru and Akihiko, a relieved Yukari, an even more disappointed Junpei and Ikutsuki, who seemed convinced that she’d join them.

“I think Mr. Ikutsuki knows more than he lets on. Kirijo herself too,” he warned. Mitsuru’s guilt-stricken face wasn’t anything new, but making his friends feel uncomfortable wasn’t something liked to do, not after what transpired in his reality.

“A promise to keep,” he muttered.

“A promise?” 

In his daze, he nearly forgot Fuuka was there with him — the Fuuka couldn’t remember their stolen moments whenever in Tartarus, of the times where she snuck into his room because she didn’t want to be alone…

To think it was all but a memory.

“Just thinking.” 

“Of the one you miss?” Fuuka recalled, a tired smile on her face. “You think a lot about her… is it Kotone?” 

Minato stared at her for a long time, before he chuckled. “No, Kotone’s a different story altogether. She’s…”

What was Kotone to him? Or rather, what was Kotone to the Minato of this reality? From what he garnered, they’re childhood friends. Best friends, in fact. There were still questions that he needed to ask, but he didn’t know where to begin.

All he could do was to focus on the present: right here, right now. A part of Minato wanted to make sure that S.E.E.S had less support, but the thought of preventing Fuuka from joining them still terrified him: what if they encountered a battle too strong for them?

“She’s a little too much for me to handle,” was all he offered. “Sometimes, I wonder how I keep up.” 

Fuuka giggled. “She’s really pretty. And energetic too.” 

He shrugged.

He gazed at the stars above them. A faint memory came to him — something about the difference between the stars during summer and winter, but it faded as quickly as it came. 

_Huh?_

Minato felt traces of the image lingering in the aftermath, storing themselves at the back of his mind. He willed himself to focus on Fuuka once again, and snapped her out of her contemplative mood with a question of his own.

“Are you sure you don’t want to join them? She’s right, you know. If you don’t have the power we have… they might go after you again.” 

Fuuka paused. “I get the feeling they won’t, not unless…” 

She trailed off. He knew what she was thinking, but he decided to follow through.

“Are you thinking of saving them?” 

“Of course. There’s no doubt about it. Moriyama wouldn’t forgive me if I didn’t,” she explained.

“Is this about her or is it about you?” he asked once more. “Because if you can’t help yourself, how can you help others?” 

Fuuka’s eyes widened, not expecting the conversation to lead to this point. 

“I…”

“You’ve got time to think about it,” he reminded her. “If you want to help, there’s no need to wait for me.”

“Are _you_ sure?” she asked softly.

Minato opened his mouth to answer, but nothing came out; just a shuddery breath, filled with uncertainty. He shared a glance with his minty-haired friend, looking too forlorn for a seventeen-year-old.

“We’ll see.” 


	6. Deep Dive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just when Minato thought he could have a breather.

The trip to school was always an ardous journey, filled with the labour of squeezing into already cramped trains. Most days, Minato didn’t mind, but not during the summer when the heat made everything worse: being inside the train was no different from the inside of an oven.

When the train finally reached its destination, everyone piled out of it and made their way towards school, where the indoors awaited them. Not long after he walked through the main door, Minato was greeted with the sight of Moriyama yelling at Fuuka.

“How did you get out?!” she demanded, violently yanking on Fuuka’s arm. “How are you perfectly fine and they’re not?”

He grimaced. Natsuki Moriyama was nasty, but the one he knew did have a heart. In this reality, she was a little bit different, borderlining on cruel.

 _I saved her too early,_ Minato mused, slipping in between students to get a closer look.

Kotone’s entrance cut his mental debate short.

“Hey, stop it!" she cried, shoving Moriyama away from Fuuka. “What's with you?”

“She's the one who put my friends in the hospital," Moriyama shouted. “The little _witch_!”

“I didn't...”

“Didn't think you could even stoop that low, Yamagishi! Is this supposed to be a joke? Revenge isn't funny!”

Moriyama broke by Kotone, hand raised… but before she could swing, a gentle hand caught her by the wrist.

“Stop broadcasting your guilt onto other people,” Minato commanded, his grip tight.

Moriyama winced and yanked her hand away. Minato watched her storm off around the corner, standing with Kotone and Fuuka in silent vigil until a too-worried teacher chased them back to class. He and Kotone made sure to escort Fuuka first, content to accept a scolding from Mr. Edogawa for their tardiness. 

* * *

When it was time for lunch, Minato left quickly and ran into Fuuka, who was looking for him as well. They made their way to the rooftop which was, thankfully, empty. Clouds floated by, like sheep grazing from field to field, gracing the blue sky with their presence.

Fuuka asked quietly, “How’d you know she was the one who locked me in the gym?”

Minato merely shrugged, nonchalant. “You’re not very good at lying, Yamagishi.”

Her eyes dropped to the floor.

“…I’m really horrible at it, aren’t I?” Fuuka sighed. “How long have you known?”

“Since Tartarus,” he answered. “The gym doors can only be locked from the outside.”

Kotone slammed her way through the door to interrupt her, flanked by a stunned Yukari and Junpei.

“Found ya!” Kotone cheered, relieved.

“Thought Moriyama dragged you off somewhere,” Junpei stated, giving Minato the look. “Looks like you beat her to it.”

Fuuka’s cheeks turned a deep red. Minato was unfazed, well aware of Junpei’s nature.

Yukari chided. “Hey now, don’t make her uncomfortable.”

“Sorry Yuka-tan,” was his playful response.

Minato glanced over all of them. “What are you doing here?”

Yukari continued, “We heard about what happened this morning, so we wanted to make sure that Fuuka’s alright and not… you know, dragged off to a corner somewhere.”

Fuuka bowed. “Sorry for worrying all of you.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Kotone waved her off, then jabbed a finger into Minato’s chest. “I bet you can’t break his record.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Minato retorted, just as the rest of them burst into laughter.

“Who’s the one who’s ended up in the hospital more times than I count?” she countered.

Soon, they were all laughing. Everything felt so normal, so right, that Minato wished he could not care about his obligations.

 _It’s not an obligation,_ he reminded himself. It was an opportunity he threw himself into both the second he’d realised Kotone’s role, the truth behind his new chance. She was a Wild Card, the one influencing the story, and he couldn’t let it play out the same way twice.

Sitting by and waiting for days to pass by wasn’t something he could do a second time.

“Thank you,” Fuuka breathed, looking infinitely happier than before.

Kotone laid out an assortment of food: there was more enough bread for everyone. Yukari brought her own meal, while the others were content to take whatever their friend brought them. Minato bit into one of them, and the taste of curry and cheese assaulted his taste buds.

“She laid waste to the cafeteria lady before coming up here,” Junpei remarked. “I’ve never seen a girl run that fast for food.”

Something flickered at the back of his mind. “When does she not race for food?”

“You’re goddamn right,” Kotone agreed, then tugged Minato’s cheek. “You know me all too well.”

“We’re not friends for nothing,” Minato managed, shoving Kotone away from him. Once everyone expressed their thanks, they dug into their meal. Yukari and Junpei made conversation with Fuuka, but he didn’t miss the way their eyes flickered in between both of them.

Kotone was the only one who didn’t do that, more focused on devouring her platter.

“Take it slow,” he chided, just as she tried to stuff another bread down her throat. Kotone tried to say something, but all that came out were muffled noises. Yukari encouraged her not to rush her food, since there was still time.

“Sorry about putting you guys in a tight spot,” Yukari began. “I know it’s an unusual situation to be in, given all that’s happened…”

She eventually filled him in with further detail about what already transpired: they already had gone to the alleyway, much to his disdain, and it was through Shinjiro that they discovered about the rumours surrounding Fuuka’s disappearance. Right afterwards, Minato’s father called Kotone to ask about his whereabouts. This made them speculate that wherever Fuuka went, Minato would be there, and they were right.

Something about his father’s expression that day still bothered him, but he shook it from his thoughts, and focused on what was unfurling before him instead.

“So… Aragaki. How’s he like?”

“Hmm…” Yukari thought aloud, her arms folded across her chest in deep thought. “He’s kind. Like a big softie.”

“If not for him, we would’ve been dead meat,” Junpei added. Minato didn’t miss the guilt that briefly flashed in his eyes, right before he turned to the two girls. Kotone huffed in indignation; Yukari glared at him.

“So you’re saying it’s my fault, Junpei Iori?”

“Hey, you egged them on! You can’t blame me!”

Fuuka giggled at their banter. “You have an interesting bunch of friends, Arisato.”

“Just Minato’s fine,” he finally said. “They’re your friends too, you know.”

And as Fuuka turned to study the rest of her friends, a smile reappeared on her face.

“So this is how having friends really feels like,” she mused. Minato didn’t need to look at her to know that her heart swelled with the joy at the thought of having friends, after being alone; it was an all too familiar feeling.

He held her gaze.

The end of their lunch came too soon. They parted ways to head to their respective classes, but there was a glow in her eyes that, Minato knew, would not be extinguished for a long, long time.

* * *

When Minato was about to head back home, he noticed a familiar car waiting for him just outside the school gates. His mother was in the driver’s seat, reading something while taking a sip of her store-bought coffee. He rapped on her window to get her attention before he moved to the other side to make himself comfortable in the passenger seat.

“So, what’s the special occasion?” he asked, and glanced at the file in her hand. “Another case?”

She sighed. “What else is new?”

“Just you fetching me from school,” Minato managed, once he entered the car. “Where are we going?”

“The hospital,” she replied. “You have an appointment today, remember?”

No, I don’t, Minato supplied, but he bit his tongue; it wasn’t as though he had any plans after this.

If his mother noticed his apprehension, she didn’t say anything. They exchanged little words, but it was enough for him to know that the hospital they were going to was in another city, so there was more than enough time for him to rest.

And Minato turning down a nap was almost unheard of.

Snippets of his past life floated through his dreams. He dreamt of walks with Koromaru, deep talks with the rest of the team, and then there was images that weren’t quite his: overseeing the Moonlight Bridge from his father’s shoulders, him wailing in his mother’s arms as tiny hands reached out towards something, then it switched to something more jarring: looming Shadows, bloodied bodies, puddles of Shadow, and then—

“Minato, we’re here.”

His eyes snapped open.

He turned to his mother, wide-eyed, earning a concerned look from her.

“You were having a bad dream,” his mother explained, gently.

Suddenly, the empty parking lot was more interesting.

They stewed in the silence until the fog lifted from his mind. He looked up and saw that they were in an underground parking lot. A hand rested on his shoulder, and Minato found himself being grounded by its presence alone.

“Feeling better?” she asked.

He nodded mutely, and allowed himself to be ushered out of the car and into the building. It wasn’t until they were joined by doctors in the lift that Minato realised he was at a hospital, and definitely not the one at Tatsumi Port Island.

 _Well, too late to question her_ , he thought, meandering in between visitors and staff alike once they got out of the lift. The energy buzzing at the hospital was different from school: the hustle and bustle of doctors and nurses told him that lives were at stake. The sounds of chitter-chatter, mingled with the sound of crying children, echoed through the vicinity.

They eventually convened with a middle-aged lady, who offered him a kind smile. His mother and her exchanged pleasantries, and based on their conversation alone, he knew they were longtime friends.

“This is Doctor Maki Sonomura. She’s a good friend of mine,” his mother introduced. “She’s incredible with people, and I think it’d do you some good if there’s someone you can talk to.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Minato. Your mother’s told me all about you,” Doctor Sonomura said, her hand outstretched.

Minato gave it a firm shake, despite his uncertainty.

His mother eventually left, leaving him and Doctor Sonomura alone.

The platter of sweets looked appetising, but he wasn’t in the mood to snack. Unlike the white in the rest of the hospitals, the walls were painted a drab grey. Shelves lined the walls, filled with things unseen, kept under lock and key. Her desk was tidy, with her stationery neatly arranged in a corner.

Minato caught a whiff of something in the air.

“Lavender,” he determined.

Doctor Sonomura chuckled. “You’ve got a sharp nose right there.”

Minato accepted the praise, quietly attributing his mother. Aoi Arisato collected scents, and from the time spent in the house, he detected that she favoured floral scents: gentle on the nose. She was particular about its intensity, so she always made sure that her choices of fragrance were the subdued sort.

“So, feel free to talk about anything,” Doctor Sonomura suggested.

“I don’t know why I’m here,” he admitted.

Doctor Sonomura crossed one leg over the other, scribbling away with her offhand onto a legal pad.

"You tried to kill yourself," she disclosed. "Does that not feel... alarming?"

His eyes widened. He was under the impression that he collapsed since that was what the others mentioned, but he never thought it was because of...

He couldn’t find an answer.

“I… why would I?”

“I was hoping you’d tell me that,” Doctor Sonomura answered, leaning forward. “How’s your health? Have the doctors given you more information?”

Her eyes flickered with something, before it faded.

“I don’t know. I don’t remember,” Minato insisted. A headache emerged at the back of his mind, and it took all of him not to show it… but Doctor Sonomura was sharper than he gave her credit for. She kept quiet until the headache ebbed away.

“Does that happen frequently?” she asked, concerned.

Minato shook his head. “Not until recently.”

Doctor Sonomura frowned, then jotted down some notes.

“Does your mother know about it?”

“It’s sporadic,” Minato answered. “It comes and goes. Not important.”

He heard the nib of her pen scratching notes into her clipboard.

“So, how are you settling in at school? Have your friends been supportive of your return to class?”

Minato thought about that. He thought about Yukari, who genuinely seemed to miss him. He thought about Junpei, whose brash nature didn't let him show how much he cared — and Mitsuru, who hid her love behind a motherly veneer. He thought about Fuuka, whose quiet company between classes was a persistent, welcome benefit of her friendship.

He thought of the unique position he sat in. How he might, finally, for just a moment, be allowed to tell someone the truth.

“Yes,” he supposed. “They've been supportive. I missed them a lot.”

Doctor Sonomura grinned. “Tell me about them.”

“Gladly.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a writer's block regarding this chapter, but I finally got it to a point where I was satisfied with it. I promise you that things are going to get more exciting in the next chapter and I've been writing that quite a lot too.


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